History

Norway - The Town On The Hill

Iowa was still Indian Territory in 1836, when Osman Tuttle, the Norwegian founder of Norway made his first trip to the United States, where he founded the town of Norway, Illinois. Osman didn’t stop looking for new land to explore, he crossed the Mississippi and trekked West into what would become modern day Benton County, Iowa. He liked what he saw because he filed for land in what was known as Indian Hill, and a part of that parcel would later become the town of Norway, Iowa. Iowa became a State in 1846, but sadly, by 1861 the War Between the States had erupted. Like many small towns through out Iowa, Norway sent many of its sons off to fight in that war; it was there that they learned about the game of baseball from soldiers from the State of New York, where the game had its beginnings around 1840. When Norway’s veterans returned home, they quickly taught the game of baseball to family, friends and neighbors... and so began Norway’s long time “love affair” with the game of baseball.In 1863, the railroad - now the Union Pacific’s main line - came to Norway. Osman Tuttle donated five acres of ground near Indian Hill to the Chicago and Northwester Railway for a town, on the condition that the new town would bear the name of his native country: Norway. Around 1900, Charles Trojovsky moved to Norway and bought a brick and tile company. He also started Norway’s first volunteer fire department, and just as important as doing that, he taught his sons to play baseball. Just one generation later, his grandson would become a Major League ballplayer.Around 1920, Norway got electrical power and its school system became one of the first in Iowa to consolidate.In 1933Hal Trosky was called up by the Cleveland Indians and became Norway’s first big leaguer. His career lasted thirteen years, in which he would: hit 228 homers, drive in 1,021 runs, and end up with a lifetime batting average of 302. Twenty five years later, Hal’s son would become the second big leaguer from Norway, pitching for the Chicago White Sox in 1958.In the fall of 1965, Norway High School won its first State Baseball Championship. It would go on to win twenty more titles before the school closed, becoming part of the present day Benton Community School District. In 1991, the school’s final year, Norway would win its last State Baseball Championship... that story was brought to life in the inspirational motion picture: The Final Season, filmed in Norway in 2006. In 1976, Bruce Kimm became the third Major Leaguer from Norway, Mike Boddickerfollowed in 1980, and in 2010, the Iowa Baseball Museum of Norway opened its doors to celebrate Norway’s long-time love affair with the game of baseball. Lest you think the affair is over, Norway’s town team - the Bandits - won its latest semi-pro State Baseball Championship (Iowa Amateur Baseball Association) in 2013... fittingly, Norway celebrated its Sesqui-Centennial (150 years) the same year.